Infusion stands or IV poles have been used for many years by the medical care industry as a means of supporting an IV bag which is used to provide an intravenous flow of a fluid to a patient. Depending upon the volume of fluid, IV bags can be heavy and the operator must lift and secure the IV bag to a hook support provided at the top of the IV pole. Such lifting actions may cause injury to the operator and/or the patient. In an attempt to solve this problem, conventional IV poles have employed a simple mechanical telescoping mechanism to raise the hook support. Although simple in design, such conventional IV poles have obvious drawbacks, including forcing the operator to physically lift and re-lock the pole carrying the hook support. Conventional IV poles or infusion stands have also been developed that raise the hook support by electro-mechanical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic means powered by a battery or connected to an electrical outlet. Such conventional systems are expensive, require significant manufacturing, and are not simple to operate.